The AlpsOff-piste heaven with beautiful old-Savoie village

Val d'Isère

The advanced skier's Alps favourite — with a village that looks the part

Val d'Isère is where French national team trains. Endless off-piste, the legendary Face de Bellevarde downhill run, and a stone-built village that Val Thorens can only dream about. Not the cheapest, but pound-for-pound the best big-mountain skiing in the northern Alps.

Altitude

1,850 – 3,456 m

Pistes

300 km linked with Tignes (Espace Killy)

Season

Late November – early May

6-day lift pass

€359 (6 days, Espace Killy adult)

Accommodation

€130–220/night midweek; luxury chalets from €800/week/person

Best for

Off-piste · Advanced skiers · Snowboarding parks

Why go

World-class off-piste (hire a guide — the Pissaillas glacier is unreal)
Face de Bellevarde — the men's Olympic downhill
Genuinely picturesque old Savoyard village
Snow-park in Tignes is one of Europe's biggest

Getting there

Fly Geneva (GVA) or Chambéry (CMF). Ski-Lifts, AlpyBus and Kiwitaxi run door-to-chalet shuttles.

Après-ski

La Folie Douce La Daille, Cocorico, Dick's Tea Bar

Non-negotiable for a ski week

Snowsports travel insurance

Standard travel policies exclude skiing. Add the winter-sports rider or a dedicated policy — a mountain rescue can be €10,000+ out of pocket.

The honest downside

Beginner terrain is limited — Le Fornet nursery slope gets crowded. Go La Rosière or La Plagne if it's your first week.

Other resorts worth a look

Aviasales, Kiwitaxi, Airalo and EKTA links are affiliate — we may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Info reviewed for the 2025/26 season.